Lifetime of the 02+ state of 72Ge determined by delayed auto-coincidence of a Ge(Li) detector

Abstract A Ge(Li) detector has been irradiated with energetic neutrons from a (d,t) neutron generator and an 241 Am/Be source. The signal produced by the inelastic scattering of neutrons exciting the 0 2 1 state in 72 Ge has been split up into the pulse due to the slowing down of the recoiling 72 Ge ∗ nucleus and the pulse of the conversion electron. The time separation of those two pulses has been used to deduce the lifetime of the excited 0 2 + state in 72 Ge. The result is τ = 640.9 ± 1.1 ns. In addition, the relative response of a Ge(Li) detector on the slowing down of Ge projectiles of 800 keV has been determined to be r = 0.437 ± 0.024.